


happiness hits like a train on a track

by leighbot



Category: BBC Radio 1 RPF, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, First Meetings, Kid Fic, M/M, Single Parent Louis, not so much Meet Cute as Meet Frantic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-06 01:33:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16822447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leighbot/pseuds/leighbot
Summary: “This is where daddy lives, Penny. This is where I am when I’m not with you.” He picks her up and puts her on his hip. “It’s not the biggest.”Or, the one where single father Louis is set up on multiple dates and none of them seem to take.





	happiness hits like a train on a track

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LottieAnna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LottieAnna/gifts).



> Special thanks to my prompter! I know this doesn't exactly fit with your requests but I took an idea I got from your own works and remixed it in my own style and I really hope you like it! More thanks to those who helped me with this, reading it over and sending encouraging words. Even more and most thanks to the mods for running the exchange and their hard work!
> 
> I know how hard it is to diagnose asthma in children, especially young ones as shown in this fic. Because it's fiction, I get to ignore that just a little. Also, because it's fiction, I feel only a little bit awful inside about giving a baby an asthma attack...
> 
> Title taken from a tweaked Florence + the Machine lyric

  


There’s an African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child. It’s well known in the sense that many can, and do, quote the words. It’s not as well known in the sense that people tend to interpret it in the strictest of ways. Instead of the village making itself available to assist, mentor, or watch over a child, the village makes itself available to stop Louis at the store and disguise their judgmental statements as faux concerned inquiries over his parenting skills – or lack thereof.

To play it another way: It turns out that the third millennium’s universally acknowledged truth is that a single man whose child is born before his twentieth birthday must be in want of parenting tips from every person he meets, whether or not they even have any children of their own.

Regardless of the preferred metaphor, the level of society’s boldness is in direct correlation to how long they’ve known him and his family. Extended family that only calls on his birthday or if they need his help are suddenly flooding his text messages with advice that he hasn’t requested. Teachers he had in sixth form are coming up to him in the park and peeking into his daughter’s pram to comment on the desired level of pink to her cheeks. His mother’s former boss stops him near the bananas while he’s shopping at Aldi. “How are you and Penny’s mother getting along? I hope it wasn’t a messy custody battle, dear,” Carter says.

“It wasn’t,” Louis assures her, biting at the inside of his cheek when she pats his hand where it grips the shopping basket. He excuses himself quickly and moves on to the veg.

“It’s too bad your daughter doesn’t have a female role model in her life,” she says as she follows too closely behind him.

Louis actually pinches the inside of his arm to keep himself from snapping something about Penny’s four aunts, two grandmothers and, oh yeah, her _mum_ who are all much stronger role models – female or otherwise – for his daughter than he ever could hope to be. He just nods instead and tries to hide in the frozen food aisle but Carter finds him again after a few minutes.

“It must be nice to still have some free time, though.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Having time to do the shopping while she’s with her mum must be nice.”

Louis’ heard enough and he lets the door smash shut after he tosses some frozen ravioli into his basket. “Yeah, sure. Saying goodbye to the most important person in my life is great. Going home alone while she stays with her mum for the first six months of her life is exactly how I want to spend me days.”

Carter doesn’t respond, just blinks quickly as her cheeks grow red. Louis’ surprised she’s even capable of feeling shame after feeling the need to find him and then follow him through the market. He lets the moment hold for a ten count.

“Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go pick up Penny from Maggie’s house. I hope you have a nice day.”

When his mum hears this story – as Louis is sure she will – he hopes she appreciates his ending enough to dismiss his rude words. He’s so sick of exchanges like this and he never knows the right things to say to dismiss the gossipy people in the town. Never mind that he and Mags are actually on better terms now than they were ever before. Never mind that they both work full time jobs and split their time with Penny 50/50 after a long custody process that was friendly enough to not push him to the edge but still involved negotiating precious time with their then-unborn child. Never-you-mind that Louis had helped his mum handle four girls growing up. Money hadn’t always flown freely and Louis’ stepdad at the time had worked long hours, leaving a void in the girls’ lives that Louis had always attempted to lessen. Louis would be willing to bet that he has more experience raising a child than the other parents who had been in hospital with them the day Penny was born.

His mum’s texts comes thirty minutes later when Louis’ just about to pull Penny from her car seat. It’s a nice day out so he leaves the car door open while he pulls his mobile from his pocket. _I love you and I’m sorry_ he sends back in answer to the concerned tone of her words.

 _I love you more, always_ she sends back immediately. A second text comes through in a moment. _I’ll see you and my littlest girl tomorrow for dinner. good luck tonight boo_

 _she’s already asking for you_ he laughs as he hits send. It’s not entirely a lie. Penny’s only word attempts so far have been ‘gammy’ and ‘lotpha’ and only one of those could be understood as anything a dictionary would contain.

“Hi, my lovely girl,” he says as he unhooks her and picks her up into his arms. She’d been sleepy when Maggie had passed over the seat and may only be just now realising that her dad’s the one holding her close. “Let’s get you and these groceries inside, yeah?”

It takes all of his strength but he balances the bags of groceries, her stuffed travel bag from Maggie, and the carrier in one hand while he unlocks the door leading up to his flat over a Jewish bakery downtown. He splits the load to tackle the stairs and is sufficiently winded when he hits his landing and finally can open his own door.

“No more pastries for me, Penny girl,” he promises as he shuts the door. A box of yesterday’s offerings waits for him on the edge of his sink and he sighs. “Maybe a few more,” he amends as he sets down the groceries.

She gurgles and he takes the sound as acceptance.

“This is where daddy lives, Penny. This is where I am when I’m not with you.” He picks her up and puts her on his hip. “It’s not the biggest.”

It’s an understatement, to say the least. He had rented the first place he could find and the flat is small and kind of crowded but all of his things and Penny’s crib fit well enough. He’s only a few streets over from Maggie’s family and they are far enough from downtown that he has a designated parking place. Penny reaching her six month marker means the shared custody agreement is in place and he’s excited for the shift. The months he’s spent in this place since Penny’s birth have been filled with boredom and he’s relieved they are finally over. During the days, he would visit with Penny but he always knew he was in someone else’s home. Now, Penny is in his home, _their_ home, and it makes a world of a difference.

The nights had been the worst. There’s no television in the flat and he’s filled a dozen notebooks with writings – short ditties and poems, lyrics and ideas all centering around a little girl with brown eyes and his nose and the hopes and dreams he’s had for her since her mother had first called him.

He even has a song about the first phone call he made after that, when his best friend had paused for only a second after hearing Louis say ‘Code Black’. Niall’s only question had been ‘gin or beer?’ and had cemented his godfather status in the same breath.

He had always loved to write but had never had inspiration enough to commit to finishing something. Now he just has to think of Penny’s hands or smile and he finds the words flowing. Most everything is soppy and soft and Louis can’t bring himself to care.

“It’s home, Penny girl. This is your home.” Her dark but sparse eyebrows furrow at the sound of his voice, and her hand comes up to smack his mouth soundly. “Yeah, is that so?” he asks, setting her down on the thick, fluffy rug near the sofa. “Let’s see what mummy packed for you.”

He pulls out a few toys and hands them over distractedly. She’s sitting up but turns and rolls onto her stomach in a move that looks practiced but he knows couldn’t possibly be. He leaves the baby’s bag for now and quickly shoves the groceries away into their respective cupboards.

A bath, a bottle and bedtime story later and Louis is setting her down into her crib. He tugs at the padded feet of her onesie and puffs out his cheeks to make a funny face when her eyes focus on him in the dark. She giggles but it’s sleepy and Louis smiles.

“I’ll be right here,” he says as he takes a seat on the edge of his bed. He should shuck off his jeans and pull on some joggers but he’s tired and focused on making sure that Penny knows he’ll always be right here next to her. He shifts in the bed and rests his head on the pillow. “Go to sleep, babe.”

He doesn’t know if she listens because he’s out himself just a breath later.

A cry startles him awake. The room is black and silent when he blinks his eyes open and he almost thinks it was a dream until he hears Penny make another mournful sound. He rolls to the edge of the bed and sits up quickly. He can slide her crib wall down from where he’s seated and he picks her up, checking her nappy and bringing her against his chest when she passes a sniff test. She cries harder at the disturbance but curls her face and fist into his shoulder, her other hand coming up to bunch in the fabric of his t-shirt. He tries to rock her but it only makes her cry harder.

Stumbling up onto his feet, he brings her into the kitchen and one-handedly opens a box of cereal. He shakes out a few loops onto the worktop and offers up a piece to her but she turns her head away each time. He checks her nappy again in case he somehow missed a heavy bottom or a foul smell but there’s nothing.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he knows that Penny is just upset because she’s in a new environment but he can’t help but feel like he’s failing and failing _her_.

Sharp banging comes from the floor above with an indistinguishable shout following it. He shushes Penny a bit louder, catching himself as he realises how upset he’s beginning to feel. He’s pulled two double shifts at the diner in the last three days and the exhaustion and stress are hitting him like a lorry. He’s glad he has the full weekend off the schedule to get Penny set in her new environment. He feels like he’s close to tears himself when she finally hiccoughs, sighs and falls asleep in place against his now-soaked shirt collar.

The banging on the ceiling continues for a few seconds before the arsehole finally gives it a rest. Not wanting to risk disturbing her, Louis posts himself in the armchair his Nan had given him. He kicks his feet up onto the coffee table and registers the time. “Three o’clock in the morning, Pen,” he whispers. “Let’s not do this again, yeah?” She sniffs in his hold but doesn’t wake and Louis closes his eyes.

Three hours later and she’s startling to awareness in his arms. He gets to his feet slowly and takes her to the makeshift changing area he setup on the edge of his dresser. She whines as he changes her nappy and her cries start up when he tapes it closed.

“Why are you so grouchy today?” Louis says, clearing the sleep from his throat. “You hungry?”

He stumbles through the kitchen, readying her bottle and trying to keep his eyes as closed as possible; he’s planning on getting some real sleep in his bed just as soon as her crying settles.

An hour later and Louis thinks he’s going to lose his mind. Penny wouldn’t take her bottle, fought him in a bath, won’t sleep in her crib and won’t gum at her frozen teething rings. He leaves her in the crib for a second attempt and walks quickly away, stepping into the hallway outside of his flat and taking sixty seconds to clear his head.

He can still hear her faintly but he tells himself that he’s allowed to be selfish if it keeps him sane.

The sound of someone clearing their throat startles him and he opens his eyes wide and nearly stumbles though he doesn’t think he moved his feet at all. A lad about his age is stood before him, his brown eyes wide as well as if Louis’ reaction startled him right back.

“You alright?” he asks.

Louis pushes off from his door and coughs into his fist. “Yeah, mate. I’m okay. Are you – is the baby keeping you up?”

The lad shakes his head and smiles. “I was just out for my run,” he says, waving his hand over himself. Louis notices the sweat ring around his collar. “My boyfriend heard your baby crying last night, though. Didn’t sleep for a bit.”

“Sorry. She’s in a weird mood. It’s her first night away from her mum’s place and I think she’s not used to the differences.”

“No,” the stranger laughs. “Harry just thinks he’s got a magic touch with babies. I had to stop him from coming over here and introducing himself.”

Louis laughs and holds out his hand. “Louis Tomlinson.”

“Liam Payne.”

“I’ve seen you around, yeah. Sorry, I’ve not been feeling very neighbourly lately.”

“A new baby can do that,” Liam says. His hair’s a bit long in the front and he tugs his curls back from his forehead. “Is she alright, then?”

Louis nods and turns the handle behind his back. “She’s teething, it’s just something I have to wait out, I think. I’m taking her in to her GP today and I’ll see if she has any tips to help her sleep.”

“I’ll let you get back to her, then. Nice meeting you, Louis.”

Louis nods his agreement and slips back inside.

The breather and distraction of meeting a neighbour has cleared his head and he even musters up a smile when he tips back into the bedroom. Penny’s cries soften and turn into grumpy whines when she sees him. She fists her hands and wiggles against her mattress in a wordless plea to be held. Louis picks her up and gives her a cuddle, kissing her brow and beginning to hum a little tune he’s been working on. She lifts her head and blinks at him, her cries settling for good. She doesn’t seem to be sleepy but she takes a teething ring when he hands it to her and helps her press it to her gums.

“You’re gonna be alright,” he says, unsure if he’s directing it to her alone of if he’s speaking to himself a little, too.

Time ticks and seasons change and soon it’s nearly Penny’s first birthday. Harry and Liam – somehow having become an integral part of Louis’ life – plan a blowout party to celebrate their self-appointed god daughter and the fact that her parents have made it through a full year.

“There’s never enough whisky,” Niall argues, setting down a bottle he brought himself.

“It’s a child’s birthday!” Harry says, scandalised just as Liam sets down a glass and says, “I’ll have some of that!”

Maggie rolls her eyes at both of them but takes a shot eagerly, toasting to Louis where he’s setting up folding chairs for the guests. They’ve brought the party to a park near to his flat, balloons tied and streamers strewn around the two long tables. They’ve had to dedicate nearly a third of one table to presents already, all of their friends and families bringing something for the little one.

Harry comes over and helps Louis finish, smiling as Penny crawls around behind her older cousins. Harry clears his throat and turns to look at Louis. “I invited someone to come today,” he says. “My friend Nick.”

Louis rolls his eyes. “You can’t match make at my child’s birthday,” he admonishes. Harry looks offended but Louis knows how to read him. “I’m not going to turn this day into a date, Styles, so you can just wipe that look off of your face.”

“It’s time for you to meet someone!” Harry practically shouts in his face. “Nick’s awesome, you’ll really like him.”

“I’m not going to miss a second of my daughter’s birthday party for a guy.”

“You’re lonely.”

Louis just sighs and pulls Harry in for a quick hug. “I’m surrounded by my best mates, my brilliant family, and my beautiful daughter,” Louis contests. “I’m so far from lonely.”

Harry pulls out his phone from his back pocket. “Should I just tell him to skip, then?”

“Time for presents!” Louis’ mum calls out from the second table before Louis can do more than nod. “Lou!”

“Coming!” Louis shouts back before jogging over, tugging Harry along by the arm. Penny’s sat in Jay’s lap, clapping her hands together and bouncing on her bottom. He slips into a space in the circle next to Maggie. “She’s going to be right spoiled if we keep this up,” he mutters into her ear while they watch Penny’s grandmothers help her unwrap presents, Nancy and Jay cooing every time Penny giggles.

“We’re the worst,” Maggie agrees with a smile, leaning her head on Louis’ shoulder. “By the way, I like your neighbours.”

Louis glances over to Liam and Harry, snorting when he sees Harry tying a thin discarded ribbon around a lock of Liam’s short curls. “Whatever they said about me is probably not true.”

“So the parade of pretty boys you’ve _not_ been seeing isn’t their sarcastic way of telling me you’ve been feeling lonely?” she teases. Louis resists pinching her arm in retaliation, wrapping his arm around her shoulders instead. “You don’t have to be alone forever just because we had a baby.”

“I know I don’t,” he protests. “I just haven’t had time. I’ve just got that new job at the recording studio and I’ve been working every second I’m not with Penny.”

“They told me they’ve been trying to set you up on dates for a few weekends in a row now.”

“A few,” Louis snorts. “Try a dozen.”

Maggie persists. “Give them a chance. Maybe then they’ll leave you be.”

He looks at her, watching the way her eyes sparkle when she’s being particularly mischievous. “Things would have been so much easier if we’d been in love.”

Well, _that_ wasn’t what he’d meant to say.

Maggie doesn’t seem to mind, probably isn’t surprised by his lack of a filter. “Things would have been terrible and we’d probably hate each other,” she reminds him, settling her head on his shoulder and watching when Penny holds up two handfuls of wrapping paper and lets out a shriek of protest when Jay stops her from sticking either in her mouth.

“I’ll go next Saturday,” he says, enjoying the way Maggie and Penny laugh in unison.

Next Saturday is about as close to a disaster as Louis could have imagined.

Having long, long ago agreed to give Harry and Liam both a chance at setting him up when they couldn’t decide on just one guy, he’s kind of expecting la crème de la crème. He’s sitting in a dodgy downtown café and waiting for a lad named Sam, checking his watch approximately every ten seconds. Sam’s twenty minutes late and Louis is trying to be patient. He’s never been a very prompt person, himself, but he passed up a chance for some extra time learning the sound board for this and he’s close to leaving.

Finally, a boy meeting the description Harry had given him saunters in. He’s about Louis’ height but much broader and his blonde hair is gelled back so tight to his scalp he almost looks brunette. He seems unconcerned with the time as he glances around the café until he catches Louis’ eye.

“Hey,” he says as he walks over, sidestepping a full table and stopping in front of Louis’ chair. He holds out his hand. “You must be Lou.”

Louis shakes his hand, wincing at the nickname from the unfamiliar person. “Louis, actually. You’re Sam?”

“Yeah.”

Louis waits, expecting an apology for being late, but Sam doesn’t say anything, still standing. The awkward silence stretches on.

“I have a daughter,” Louis says abruptly.

“What’s that?” Sam asks, clearly surprised.

“Her name’s Penny and she just turned a year. Are you ready to be a dad?”

“Erm, Harry didn’t mention a baby,” Sam says, shaking his head and taking a step back.

Louis rolls his eyes and grabs his cup, standing up. “Have a good day anyway.”

He dials Harry’s number as he leaves the cafe. “Really, Hazza?” he says without preamble.

“Lou, you’re supposed to be on a date. Why are you calling me?”

“You didn’t mention that I have a kid?”

Harry laughs for a second before realizing Louis is serious. “Why? Was that a problem?”

“Hazza,” Louis groans, stopping at a crosswalk.

“What?”

Louis smiles, can hear the pout in Harry’s voice. “Not everybody’s into the idea of dating a dad.”

“Once they meet Penny, Sam will get over it. He’s great with his niece.”

“What happened to the birthday party guy?”

“Nick? He had to work. I can ask him for next time!”

“Nope, you had your chance. It’s Liam’s turn.” Louis laughs, tension draining with every step closer to his flat. Harry wails dramatically on the other side of the line. “You’re one-of-a-kind, Harry. I’ll be over in fifteen, let’s get buzzed and watch crap telly.”

Harry sighs loudly into the phone but agrees, and Louis hangs up and pockets his mobile, rushing across the street. He can’t help the small thrill of satisfaction that warms him as he walks. He likes being proven right, knows he and Penny don’t need anyone else. They’ve got each other.

Liam tries to play his card the next weekend but Louis uses his time with Penny as an excuse to refuse.

He refuses the next weekend, too, and the one after that.

And the one after that.

“After the mess your boy got me in, I’ll stick to being single for a bit longer.” Louis’ repeated the same thing for a dozen weekends in a row. Harry’s out with friends and Liam’s bumming around on Louis’ couch, Penny napping on his chest as they let _Paw Patrol_ play quietly in the background. Liam tries to lift his head enough to take a sip of his beer but the shift disturbs Penny and she grumbles in her sleep so he lets himself fall back flat.

“Get me a straw?”

Louis throws a discarded sock at him instead.

“Don’t you want someone to come home to?” Liam asks after he pushes the sock from his face. “Someone else to love Penny?”

“What, you took two Psych classes at uni and now you’re a shrink, Payne?”

“I’m just saying. I know a guy who loves kids, is really fit, and hasn’t been seeing anyone for a bit. He’s perfect for you.”

Louis throws his head back against the back of the chair he’s curled up in, mindlessly watching the puppies on the telly and pretending like he isn’t listening to Liam’s every word. “Fine,” he says, acting like it’s a struggle for him to give in. “You can set something up. But this is your guys’ last chance. After this one doesn’t work out, don’t bother me about it again.”

Hey, he might be missing dating but he isn’t going to make it too easy on his friends.

Liam laughs low, his chest rumbling and causing Penny to shift again, a slight pout on her lips. “If this doesn’t work out,” he says once she’s settled, “we’ll leave you alone about it. You can grow old with no one to distract you but your pretty little girl who’ll probably get married before you.”

“Yeah, can we not discuss her growing up? She’s going to stay little forever.” He turns his head when Liam laughs again, a smile on his face.

“Whatever you say, Lou.”

Liam’s pick ends up not being free to meet up for another two weeks, which means it’s a day that Louis has Penny. Harry and Liam can probably sense his refusal even before he opens his mouth.

“I get so little time with her as it is!”

“And we get even less!” Harry returns as rebuttal.

Louis’ startled into a laugh. “She isn’t _yours_ , H.”

“You shut your lying mouth.” Harry holds Penny closer to him, smiling when she laughs and latches onto his curls. “Daddy’s got a fat, lying mouth, huh?”

“Don’t tell her that!”

“You go on this date with Liam’s pick or I’m going to spend the rest of her life telling her that.”

Liam’s been mostly quiet, reclining back on Louis’ bed and watching them fight with a smile on his face. Harry was meant to be picking out an outfit for Louis but he was quickly distracted by Penny’s jabbering and had decided to hold a conversation with her instead. It’s left Louis to manage with Liam instead and he thinks he might be able to get by with joggers and a jumper but then Harry sets his focus back to the matter at hand.

“Take her next door and don’t let Louis in,” Harry says, kissing Liam and passing over Penny. She screams in delight.

“Ee-um, Ee Ee,” she chants, bouncing in his hold.

“Doesn’t even mind a night away from Daddy,” Harry says, shoving Louis back towards his wardrobe and basically blocking him in.

Louis is _definitely_ wearing a jumper, he doesn’t care what Harry tries to say.

He’s a bit early to the restaurant – having been given time for just one kiss from Penny and two to the cheek from Harry for luck – but this time, his date is also. George seems nice enough. He pulls out Louis’ chair for him to sit and plays a subtle game of footsie under the table while they peruse the wine list. He has a thick head of hair that falls long enough to tuck behind his ears and teeth slightly too big for his smile. He’s taller than Louis by a bit and built like a house, the flannel of his shirt pulling tight across his shoulders.

Even if a relationship ends up being off the table, there’s no ruling out a tumble before they call it a night.

Louis taps George’s shoe back as the waiter pours them glasses of a red neither of them could pronounce. George isn’t much of a talker. Louis knows he plays on a local rugby league from what Liam’s told him but George doesn’t talk about it much. He answers Louis’ questions politely but manages to steer the conversation back to Louis and Penny every time. He’s relieved that Liam and Harry have learned their lesson and fully prepped this date about his daughter but he finds himself kind of bored.

His phone buzzes in his pocket and he fishes it out, relief building in his stomach until he sees the name in bold letters across the screen. “Harry, what’s wrong?”

He can hear Penny crying and coughing in the background before Harry even says a word. Liam’s singing or humming, probably trying to calm her, and Harry’s breath is loud against the speaker. Louis’ a second away from shouting at Harry to tell him what’s happening when he finally starts to speak.

“I think it’s probably the same cough she usually gets,” he starts, “but it’s been going on for a bit now and maybe you should call her doctor to make sure.”

“Shit, tell me what’s happening,” Louis says, pushing out his chair and standing, looking around for his jacket and keys. He dimly registers George standing as well, and Louis grabs his wallet, flicking bills onto the table without thought. “I have to- Penny’s sick,” he says in apology, turning and leaving quickly before George can say anything.

“Harry,” he says into the speaker as he slides into his car. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“She’s coughing a lot,” he says slowly. “It sounds different from usual. I know your GP said not to worry but-”

Louis groans as he listens to Harry, biting his lip to keep from snapping at him to speak faster. He urges his car as quickly as he can, racing down side streets on his way back to his flat.

“I wasn’t diagnosed asthmatic until I was older than Penny, but I think she might be. I don’t know, it’s usually not like this, Lou.”

“I’m five minutes away, Haz. How is she now?”

“She’s calmer and only wheezing a little.”

“Call me back the second that changes, I’m almost there.”

When he rushes up the stairs and bursts into his flat, Penny is coughing again, her whole body curling up in Harry’s arms. Louis takes her into his hands and brings her to his chest, her whine of _‘daddy’_ lost against his chest through her coughing and tears.

“We’re sorry for pulling you out of your date,” Liam starts but Louis glares at him.

“Shut up,” he says, Liam smiling a bit at his tone. “Penny is first priority, you know that. Thank you for calling me.”

Penny starts wheezing against his chest and Louis can feel her heart beating fast. “I tried calling her GP from the car but she didn’t answer. I’ll call again but I think we should take her to hospital. She’s really shaking.”

Harry’s eyes are wet when Louis passes Penny back to him, but he smiles for her and wipes her tears away, humming the same song Liam had been singing earlier.

“How’d the coughing start?” he asks as he dials, holding the phone to his ear.

“She was running around with Hazza, just playing. Neither of us meant to trigger anything.”

His GP doesn’t answer the emergency line and Louis hangs up, frustrated. He looks at Penny, sees her sides pulling inward as she struggles to breathe, her ribs in stark contrast under her skin. It terrifies him for a moment, and he feels frozen in time until he snaps back to himself. “I’m taking her to A&E, fuck this,” he says, grabbing her diaper bag next to the door and making hands to take her from Harry.

He stubbornly refuses to hand her over, cradling her to his chest instead. “You’re dense if you think we’re not coming with you,” he says.

Louis blinks at him, somewhat surprised. “You guys don’t have to-” but Liam cuts him off.

“Come on, let’s go,” he says, opening the door and pushing Louis out before him, Harry shuffling out next. Liam reaches back into the flat for Penny’s coat, shutting the door behind him and checking it’s locked before grabbing Louis’ keys from his shaking hands.

He sits in the back with Penny in her car seat, her heart still racing and breaths still coming fast. Liam goes as fast as he dares, the streets mostly quiet for a Saturday, the time just right for dinner to have started but not yet finished. Louis tries to calm Penny but he doesn’t know what he’s doing, Harry turned around in the front seat and running his fingers along the soles of her feet, huge palms dwarfing her toes.

Louis isn’t sure how he keeps breathing himself, watching as his daughter struggles to take in small breaths. He’s so thankful Harry’s there with them; Harry knows what asthma attacks are like and how to help.

He’s almost surprised when they get to the hospital so quickly, rushing out of the car and racing inside, Harry on his heels while Liam parks. Before they can even get to the nurse’s station, a male doctor spots them and rushes over.

“How long has she been breathing this quickly?”

Louis feels flustered, doesn’t know for sure. “She was wheezing earlier but her breathing didn’t pick up until about fifteen minutes ago. Her GP wasn’t answering so we rushed her in.”

“What’s her name?” the doctor asks, holding his hands out.

Louis passes her to him quickly, a nurse coming up to them and directing their group to a curtained off section. “Penny, she’s seventeen months. I’m her dad.”

“Hi, Penny,” the nurse says, taking her from the doctor’s arms and laying her in the middle of the cot, snapping up the sides quickly to form a makeshift crib.

Penny’s not crying as much but her breathing is even faster, and Louis feels tears in his eyes as she looks around for him, reaching her arms up. He hadn’t noticed the doctor stepping away but he’s suddenly slipping back into a space left by the nurse, a bulky object in his hands. It’s shaped like a penguin and the mask they carefully slip over Penny’s face has a beak drawn on the front.

“This is a nebuliser,” the doctor explains before Louis can ask. “It’s going to give her a dose of bronchodilators, which are going to relax her airway and help her get oxygen into her lungs.”

Penny fights with them for a moment, doesn’t want to keep the mask on, but when Louis reaches out to her and pulls her hands away, she relents, staring at him and sucking in as the machine’s flicked on.

“Was it an asthma attack?”

“We won’t know right away, we’ll have to schedule you follow-ups with her GP to diagnose that. She’s very young so diagnosis will be difficult. For now, we’ll show you and her how to use this machine or an inhaler, and you can monitor her at home. We’ll keep her a couple hours now, monitor her breathing and make sure the steroids are helping.”

Liam rushes in, eyes bright and hair wild. “What’s happening?”

Harry takes him out after a sharp look from the nurse, explaining in a low tone. Liam looks over his shoulder, checking Louis’ reaction, but he just smiles tightly and waves him away.

“Should I be doing something? I didn’t fill out any forms or anything,” he asks the nurse.

“I’ll go get them from the front desk for you, sweetie. Just have a seat, I’ll be right back.” She bustles out, leaving Louis and the doctor alone. He feels awkward as he stands helplessly by, the doctor reading something off the back of the machine and jotting down a note on his clipboard.

“Have a seat, Mr-” the doctor says when he looks up and seems surprised that Louis is still standing.

“Just Louis,” he says as he sinks into a chair next to the cot, watching as Penny turns to follow his movement. He puts his hand through the bars and strokes over her belly, the image of her heavy breathing still haunting him even as she slowly calms.

“Nice to meet you, Louis. I’m Dr Grimshaw but I let the little ones call me Grimmy.”

“You don’t look old enough to be a doctor,” Louis says before he can stop himself.

Dr Grimshaw laughs, his face looking even younger as it relaxes. “I’m old enough,” he says.

“I’m sorry, doctor. It really isn’t any of my business,” Louis tries to excuse himself but he just gets a hand wave in response.

“I’ll take it as a compliment, love. Besides, the dads who make me laugh get to call me Nick.”

Louis smiles at him and feels himself relax even further when he watches Penny’s stomach rise and fall slowly, her eyes lidded behind the mask. The nurse from earlier shuffles back in, a clipboard with forms on it for Louis to fill out.

“I’ve got another patient to visit. We’ll leave Penny on the nebuliser for another three or four minutes, just to be certain, and Nurse Harriet will show you how to use it.”

“How long will we be staying?” Louis asks, flipping through the forms.

“A couple hours, no longer. Just to ensure her breathing is regulated. We can get you an inhaler if that’s the method you and your wife prefer. Little Miss Penny seems to be responding well, judging by the snores she’s about to let out,” Nick laughs, eyeing the nearly sleeping form in the cot.

“Thank you,” Louis says, and it sounds awkward to his own ears. He wants to thank Nick for taking his daughter and knowing what was wrong, wants to convey how desperately grateful he is but he doesn’t know how.

“You’re ever welcome,” Nick says, slipping the clipboard onto a ring at the end of her cot. “I’ll be back before you go, check her vitals and give her a quick check-up.”

Louis nods and watches as he leaves, turning to the forms and starting to fill them out while he waits the last few minutes for his daughter’s mask to completely transfer all the medicine she needs.

Harriet’s very friendly, helping him finish the forms when he has questions and offering him her cell phone to call Maggie when he realises his is still in the car where he’d dropped it and Liam and Harry are nowhere to be found. “I’ll send them in if I see them,” she promises after he leaves Maggie a message about where they are and an update on Penny’s condition.

She’s sleeping peacefully when Nick comes back into the room, quietly moving to Louis’ side of the cot as they both watch her.

“I can wake her if you need,” Louis says reluctantly, wanting her to rest after her horrible experience.

“It’s fine, I’m a bit early. She’s breathing well so there’s no immediate concern.”

They fall silent again, Nick settling into the plush chair next to Louis. Louis turns to him, biting his lip.

“I didn’t properly thank you earlier,” he starts, soldiering on when Nick waves his hand at him again. “I’m serious. I know you must hear this all the time but I have never felt so helpless in my entire life. Not when the stick showed two lines or I moved into my first flat or ever. I’m supposed to take care of her and I just… I didn’t know what to do.” He hates the hot prick of tears he can feel threatening to spill over, and he blinks quickly, staring at the ground.

“Louis,” Nick starts kindly, “you can’t always know what to do. Then I wouldn’t have a job.”

Louis laughs wetly at the soft joke, used to horrible humour from his year spent as Harry ‘Pun Master’ Styles’ neighbour.

“Asthma is scary, especially when it presents so early. But we think we’ve got it. We’ll do follow-ups and check-ins all the time and keep her healthy and fighting fit. I know it will probably come as a shock to you but that was actually a relatively mild attack. Her breathing was rough but her airway wasn’t completely blocked and her heartbeat was fast but not _too_ fast. I don’t expect to see another episode like that as long as we keep her on the proper plan.”

“I’m so grateful, I just had to tell you.”

Nick smiles and pats his hand, long fingers soft against the back of Louis’ hand. He looks up at him, seeing him clearly in the calm moment. His face is rather long and his hair is in a ridiculous quiff, but his eyes are warm and his smile bright and Louis ducks his head when he realises he’s crushing on his daughter’s _doctor_.

What a cliché.

Nick must notice, _has_ to notice, the flush painting Louis’ cheeks, and he takes his hand away, sitting up straight. He clears his throat. “Ah, I guess Nurse Harriet showed you the difference between the nebuliser and inhaler. Do you and your wife have any preference?”

Louis bites his lip against a smile, noticing the clear interest in Nick’s voice. He’s about to set the record straight when he hears heels clacking on the tile outside the makeshift room and Maggie comes in, half-sprinting to get to Penny’s side. He stands and pulls her into a hug, murmuring “She’s okay, I promise. She’s okay,” in her ear until she sags against him, face buried in Louis’ neck.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t see the call, I was out with Gerry and my phone was off. I’m so sorry, Lou.”

He pulls back and lets her get a look at Penny, who’s shifting and starting to wake up. She smiles when she does, seeing Maggie and motioning to be picked up.

“You can,” Nick says, suddenly on the opposite side of the crib from them. Louis frowns at his tone, definitely clipped and cooler than it had been, though his smile is warm when Maggie thanks him and gets Penny into her arms.

Louis listens to her coo in Penny’s ear as she finishes waking up, fists rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“I was just explaining to Louis- to Mr Tomlinson- that her attack was relatively mild. It isn’t unheard of to see cases of asthma in toddlers but it is a bit earlier than most show symptoms. We’ll need to keep an eye on her for a while and test different medicines and methods until we get the right balance.”

“Of course, Doctor,” Maggie says, and Louis clenches his jaw. He doesn’t want to call Nick ‘Doctor’ and he doesn’t ever want to hear him say ‘Mr Tomlinson’ again. Something about the way Nick’s holding himself stiff and speaking is irritating Louis and he chalks most of it up to exhaustion.

“I have to run just a couple tests, check her vitals, before clearing her for discharge. If you’d like, I can have a nurse go over again the options you have for distributing medicine. Most parents choose nebulisers for their ease but it’s a good idea to teach her how to use an inhaler also. Easier for when she starts school, though that’s potentially a few years away.”

Maggie nods and Nick sticks his head out, motioning for a nurse to come in and explaining what he needs. It isn’t Harriet but Lora is just as nice, smiling sweetly and demonstrating on Louis how to fit the mask properly and how to administer medicine. She also goes over the inhaler option, explaining the usage of a spacer and the counter on the outside that shows the amount of doses left.

Louis steps away with the nurse when she’s done, letting Maggie go back to Penny and stay with her while Nick finishes his exam. He arranges to take a machine with them before slipping back into the room, bulky bag in hand. Nick looks slightly miserable but Louis’ sure he’s just imagining it. Maggie looks awkward and uncomfortable and Louis knows he isn’t imagining _that_. He shoots her an inquisitive look but she shakes her head minutely, her jumper off her shoulders and draped over Penny’s back where she’s curled into her mother’s arms.

“I’ve given your wife all my contact information should you need it. Penny’s lungs sound terrific and she’s clearly in good spirits,” Nick says, clearing his throat awkwardly. “Your GP should be the first person you reach out to, of course, but you have my information as well now. And you can always call the hospital, someone will be available to answer your questions, of course.”

“Thanks, Nick,” Louis says, shoving his hands into his pockets, Maggie echoing his words softly. Penny giggles as she tries to pull her mum’s glasses from atop her head, and Maggie takes them off and hands them to her distractedly.

“Well, I’ll leave you lot to it then,” Nick says, scooting out of the room.

Maggie turns to him, her eyes dangerously bright. “Louis William Tomlinson,” she hisses. “You’ve got the hots for our daughter’s _doctor_.” Her smile is wicked and her cheeks are flushed in the way they always get when she’s trying to bite back laughter.

He stutters out a protest, turning to gather all of their things and shove them into Penny’s diaper bag.

“He kept calling you my husband and frowning. He thinks you’re fit.”

“You’re crazy,” Louis says, shaking his head and trying to keep from smiling.

“And you have a _crush_ ,” she singsongs, leading them from the room. They find Liam and Harry in the waiting room, Harry’s curls falling across his face as he sleeps against Liam’s shoulder.

“We didn’t want to crowd her,” Liam says, nudging Harry awake.

“She’s okay, we’re all clear. Thank you for calling me.”

“Thanks to Nick for knowing what to do,” Harry corrects, stretching his legs out as he wakes. “I texted him from the car.”

“Nick?” Louis parrots. “Wait, you know the doctor?”

“Nick is _the_ Nick I was trying to bring to Penny’s birthday.”

Louis feels struck dumb and Maggie laughs so hard Penny gets scared and whimpers a pathetic cry in her mum’s arms.

After the GP hadn’t been easily reached the night of Penny’s asthmatic attack, Louis and Maggie agree to look for another doctor. They’re having little luck by the time Penny would be due for a follow up and Louis finds himself calling the hospital and asking for Doctor Grimshaw’s office hours.

He bundles Penny in a warm jumper and thick tights, letting her go without shoes – which he’s teaching her to hate on principle – and they head out for the doctor’s. The waiting room looks the same as every other paediatrician’s he’s seen, and he gets a text from Maggie saying that she won’t be able to make the appointment. He’d believe her shoddy excuse that she had made other plans but then a second message comes through – a winky face with a ‘ _get in’_ that’s not subtle at all – and he laughs and rolls his eyes.

Penny looks up at him from where she’s playing with blocks on the floor, more interested in trying to eat them than trying to stack them, and he crouches down next to her to tug one away from her mouth when the door opens and Nick’s standing there looking down at them.

“Hiya,” he says, smiling wide.

“Oh, hello, hey,” Louis says, gathering Penny and her bags as he stands. “Hi.”

If Nick thinks he’s acting inane- which he knows he is- he blessedly doesn’t mention anything, just stands back and lets them pass him. “Third door,” he directs, following behind Louis. “How’re you doing today, Ms. Penny?”

“She’s been really good – only one small attack and the nebuliser worked perfectly. Thank you.”

“I believe I was asking her,” Nick jokes and Louis relaxes, tension draining from his shoulders. “Penny, is Daddy telling the truth?”

“Bah ma bah,” she says. “No.”

“Ah, we’ve got the truth finally.”

Nick listens to Penny’s breathing and checks her ears, humming to her between tests.

“I didn’t realise at first that you were Harry’s Nick,” Louis says to fill the silence. “You’re not what I expected.”

“You expected something?”

“I’ve met Harry’s other friends,” Louis says as explanation. Nick laughs and nods. “They’re a… boring bunch sometimes.”

“To say the least,” Nick agrees. He pushes Penny’s dark hair back from her face and checks her sight. “Harry told me about the flop of his first setup. I had warned him about Sam but I was pulling extra shifts and he was afraid he’d miss the chance to match make.”

“This was more dramatic, for sure.”

“Would you like to, erm, go out sometime?” Nick asks, checking Penny’s ears again as if he’s forgotten. “With me, I mean.”

Louis smiles, pressing his fingertips to the corner of his mouth. “Is there a rule about dating a patient’s parent?”

“I’m sure there is but as I’m just subbing in for you while you find a new GP, I think we can bend the rules a little. Harry heard about this appointment today and threatened my life if I didn’t convince you.”

“So you’re just trying to protect yourself,” Louis teases, picking Penny up and straightening her jumper. He covers her ears clumsily for the next part. “Harry is a ferocious little fucker, to be sure.”

“Really trying to keep my pup. He doesn’t like dogs half as much as he claims to, so I think I would get Pig back eventually. Can’t take the chance.”

“He threatened to steal your dog? He steals my daughter all the time. We should press charges. Oh!” Louis says, knowing how bright his eyes are as a sassy thought crosses his mind. “That could be our first date!”

Nick nods, scribbling something in Penny’s file and smiling. “I like that, but I was thinking more of a beach picnic with the baby. Tomorrow. How does that sound?”

“I’m a terrible cook. I mean,” he stumbles. “I can manage enough to feed me and Penny but I don’t enjoy it so I don’t typically do it.”

“We can get Harry and Liam to do it, then. I’ll pick it up from them before I get the two of you.”

“Sounds great,” Louis says, taking a business card when Nick hands it over. His phone number is written on the front, right above his office number and email.

“She’s got a clean bill of health and I’ll make sure that nebuliser stays with you until we can order a newer one. They’ve got duck masks, penguins, even puppy snouts. Whatever you like.”

“Tomorrow?” Louis repeats, nodding at the new information and pretending like he’s been listening for a single second after Nick asked him out.

“I can come by at two.”

“And you want Penny to come?” Louis asks to clarify.

Nick raises a brow. “Of course. There’s not really a point in this if she hates me. We can save the, erm, more private dates for after.”

Penny loves him. Of course she does.

Louis can’t stand him.

(Okay, that’s a lie.)

Nick shows up exactly on time – pretending he hadn’t been standing outside of Louis’ door for an agonizingly long minute and a half, taking deep breaths and fiddling with his hair. Louis returns the favour by pretending he hadn’t been nervously watching through the peephole.

Penny is happy to see Nick and happier still to see his two dogs when he leads them outside and to the car lot. “We can take mine,” Louis offers. “I’ve no idea how to unhook her car seat base anyway.”

“You okay with dogs in the car?”

“My kid throws Cheerio’s for fun – are you okay with your dogs eating them?”

Nick smiles and grabs their leads, helping them jump up into Louis’ backseat. They watch curiously as Louis fits Penny’s seat, and the little black one licks at her hand when she reaches out. “That one’s Stinky Baby and the white one’s Pigdog.”

“I’m not calling them either of those names,” Louis retorts as he slides into the driver seat. “Dog One and Dog Two, it is.”

Nick has a nice laugh, Louis realises. It’s not the first time he’s heard it but having it so close, outside the stress of the hospital and doctor’s office, is almost the same. They head out to Whitby, the drive mostly quiet because Nick can’t take his eyes off of the dogs and Penny and Louis can’t take his eyes off of Nick. Well, apart from the whole ‘has to look at the road while driving’ thing.

Minor detail.

The dogs are obsessed with the sand and the baby, chasing Penny around as she runs on still somewhat-unsteady feet and laughs uncontrollably. Nick and Louis slow her down every once in a while, neither of them willing to risk a trip to hospital, but they switch off taking her into the surf to wet her toes.

For lunch, Louis leaves the little ones with Nick and runs up to the closest chippy once he sneaks a look in the basket Harry had packed them and sees too much green. He instead finds himself grabbing takeaways for the whole lot.

“No chippy sauce, too much sand!” Louis calls out as he walks back down, his bare toes cold where the sand is packed down hard enough it could be pavement. Stinky stayed back from the water where Nick is currently knee deep, throwing a stick for Pig and keeping Penny tight on his hip. He doesn’t hear Louis at first but Louis doesn’t mind. He splits Nick’s chips with Stinky and feigns innocence when Nick turns to see him.

“I get yours,” Nick says evenly, passing Penny over to where Louis’ cross-legged in the sand and swiping for Louis’ paper.

“Fat chance!”

Penny giggles but it doesn’t sound right and Louis gets distracted, checking her. Relieved to see the sleep clouding her expression and not an asthma-like attack, he misses Nick’s movements until his chips _and_ his fish are whisked away from him.

“Bull!” he calls out in a whisper-shout, not willing to keep Penny from a nap. “That’s bull, Grimshaw and I’ll get you for that.”

“I’m scared,” Nick says, through a mouth full of _Louis’_ fish filet. “How is she?”

“You should be!” He peeks at his daughter again, smiling at her fluttering eyelids as she slips into a sleep in the way only a toddler with no cares in the world can do. “She’s good. Wait,” he says, looking back up. “You asked me how she is.”

Nick blinks slowly, as if waiting for a punch line. “Yes?” he finally says.

“Most people never ask. They take a look at her and just… decide they’re able to tell me exactly how she is at any moment of the day.”

“Most people are awful,” Nick agrees, picking off another piece of fish and popping it into his mouth.

“C’mere,” Louis says, kneeling up. “I-“

Nick steps closer and crouches down. “What is it?” he asks but his eyes are dancing when Louis crowds into his space.

Penny is curled up in his arms and Pig is licking at the heel of his foot. It’s a little slice of chaos and almost a touch too cold for a day at the beach but it suddenly hits Louis how _perfect_ a day it would be for a first kiss. Nick’s button down is open and Louis grabs at the bottom of one of the sides. He tilts his head up and purses his lips, tugging Nick closer. Nick’s still balancing on his feet but one extra tug from Louis finds Nick’s knees bracketing his own in the sand.

“With the baby here?” Nick asks but he doesn’t give Louis a chance to answer before his hands are anchoring Louis at the waist and pulling him in. They’re touching only at the knee and the straight skin contact where Nick’s hands have slipped under Louis’ t-shirt until their lips finally brush together in an awkwardly sweet half-kiss where Louis gets a hint of lip but mostly chin. “I can do better than that,” Nick promises as he pulls away.

“Prove it,” Louis challenges before pushing back in again and claiming Nick’s mouth for a second try.

The dogs are bone tired by the time they pull back up to Louis’ flat. Nick corrals them into the back of his car before taking Penny’s car seat straight from Louis’ hand and walking Louis to his door. Nick’s free hand stays on Louis’ back the entire way and Louis keeps his arm around Nick’s waist with his fingers hooked through his belt loops.

“Probably shouldn’t tell Harry how successful this was,” Nick says once they’re at the door. “We’ll likely never hear the end of it.”

“You’re assuming he isn’t spying on us right now.”

Nick tilts his head and concedes the point.

“Can I take you out this weekend?” Louis asks. He’s feeling a bit nervous asking, doesn’t typically give people many chances to disappoint him but, well…

He’s stood in front of a man holding his baby after spending an entire day together on the beach. Nick isn’t a sure thing by any means but he’s probably the closest thing to one that Louis will ever see.

“Of course. How about Karaoke?”

Louis laughs before he realises that Nick is serious. “Oh. Erm. Maybe just dinner, this time.”

Nick hands over Penny’s seat as Louis unlocks the door. Louis crosses into his front room, only feeling a little miffed at no goodbye kiss, when Nick’s hand grips his upper arm and tugs him back. “Not a chance I’m foregoing another kiss,” Nick says, making Louis laugh just as their mouths find each other in what is becoming a quite welcome well-practiced routine.

“Saturday at eight,” Louis says when he pulls away. “Text me your address and I’ll pick you up. Do you a fancy date the right way.”

Nick salutes before leaving and Louis closes the door softly behind him. Penny’s growing restless in her car seat so he unhooks her and lets her wander off into the bedroom while he toes off his shoes. A knock on the door has his now-permanent smile growing even wider and he fumbles with the knob in his haste to open it.

Instead of Nick, he’s met with Harry’s smug face.

“I told you so,” Harry says right before Louis slams the door shut again. He hears Harry laughing himself into his own flat next door.

“Thank you!” Louis calls out after a moment. He hears Penny repeat him from the next room over just before he hears Harry tap out an answering ‘you’re welcome’ on their shared kitchen wall.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
